Neurológia pre prax 1/2017

Effects of drugs on neuromuscular junction

Neuromuscular transmission may be negatively influenced by many drugs and agents. Some of them are targeted to this purpose – most important are the following: depolarizing and non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (used to produce muscular paralysis in anesthetized patients), botulinum toxin (effectively weakening appropriate muscles for treatment of spasticity and dystonic syndromes) and cholinesterase inhibitors (used to reduce clinical symptoms in myasthenia gravis). Furthermore, several drugs may negatively influence the neuromuscular transmission as an undesirable side effect, particularly in case of pre-existed impaired function of neuromuscular junction (mainly in patients with myasthenia gravis). Among others, D-penicillamine, interferon alfa, magnesium, some antibiotics, quinidine, procainamide, statins, and calcium channel blockers may present with such an influence. Furthermore, transient worsening of myasthenia gravis may be evoked by corticosteroids.

Keywords: neuromuscular junction, myasthenia gravis, neuromuscular blocking agents, botulinum toxin, cholinesterase inhibitors